What do you learn from studying English in university that you don't from reading on your own?
I like reading (mostly modern and contemporary novels), but the requirements, essays, critical theory, etc. that you deal with seem like a pain in the ass.
>>8210870
Critical theory will make you a better reader and writer by dispelling normie illusions about authenticity, talent, (self-) expression, etc. It will also change the way you read, for example, Eliot's objective correlative may change your attitude toward literary unity.
Essays make you a better writer. Practice makes you a better writer. Requirements make you read good things you would otherwise have skipped, but requirements won't make you enjoy those things.
this image makes me want to /r9k/ myself
>>8210870
how to write about what you read
how to not be a socially retarded robot like stemfags
it gives you access to critical apparatuses
i don't know why people think that just reading a lot of books makes you a good reader. i mean, look around.
>>8211557
>why "the people" think
>people
>think
>>8210870
It helped me to look deeper in texts. Even if the texts I got were boring shit it still helped develop that sort of critical analysis.